Stephen i



(No Model.)

s. D. SlamlwlfxGER.v

WRENCH.

No. 441,199. Patented Nov. 25.1890.

NTED STATES ATENT Price.

STEPHEN D. SHAMBARGER, OF NEV BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO HENRY NORTON, OF SAME PLACE.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,199, dated November25, 1890.

Application filed August 16, 1890- Serial No. 362,239. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN D. SHAMBAR- GER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newritaimin the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain newr and useful Improvements in\Vrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to Wrenches of the class having a movable frameand a sliding ro jaw movable independently of the frame, the

object being to furnish a strong and convenient wrench,suitable for thepurposes of machinists, cyclists, and others who require a quick-adjustment Wrench arranged for taking firm hold of the screw or nut to beturned thereby.

In the drawings, accompanying and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of a Wrenchembodying my present improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan vien7 of the underside of the Wrench. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view in line a a, Fig.1.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.

The wrench consists, in a general way, of the wrench-bar B, having thehead 3 formed thereon, and constituting the outer jaw of the wrench, themovable block or frame D, fitted to slide on said bar and carrying meansfor operating the movable wrench-jaw, and having, also, means for fixingit at predetermined points along on the Wrench-bar, and a movable jaw,also fitted to slide on the wrenchbar and in the movable block andconnected with said j aW-actuatin g devices. The wrenchbar is or may befurnished with the usual handle, as 4,vhereby the instrument may beconveniently grasped by the user. The movable block is fitted throughoutits length to inclose and slide on the wrench-bar, and has in the upperor back part thereof a lock-pin 5, whose point projects into theWrench-bar mortise and is iitted to engage with suitable holes, as 6,formed at regular distances apart in the upper edge of said bar. Saidlock-pin is independent of the movable jaw-actuating devices, so thatthe movable frame may be set at any of the predetermined points alongthe wrench-bar by means of said lock-pin For operating the said lock-pinthis only.

pin is formed with a screw-thread thereon and with a head for turningthe same, the screw-thread being iitted to turn closely but freelyin theinternal thread or nut formed in the outer wall of the movable blockitself, as indicated by the conventional shading in the sectional partof the drawings, Fig. 1.

The engagement between the Wrench-bar and the lock-pin is made byinclined surfaces, 6o the holes 6 being of relatively large diameter andformed conical, .and the lock-pin having` a conical point whose anglescorrespond to those of said holes. By this means, when the lock-pin isscrewed iirmly against said conical surfaces and pressure is broughtagainst the movable frame D, tending to slide back the same, saidconical surfaces act as Wedges to draw the movable frame more iirmlyagainst the inner side of the Wrench-bar, and 7o by-reason of therelatively line pitch of the lock-pin thread sets said pin lirmly inplace, so that it is in effect checkedf as by a check-nut, when thewrench is in use, thereby securing safety against accidental unlocking 75 of the movable block and preventing any sudden opening of the jawswhile using the wrench.

The movable frame consists of a frame iitted, as stated, to slide on theWrench-bar and 8o to receive the above-described lock-pin andconstructed to receive the stem .of the movable jaw and the devices foractuating the same. Said frame is bored parallel to the wrench-bar forreceiving the stem 7 of the 85 movable jaw C. The bore 8 is enlargedthroughout the greater part of the length thereof to receive theretracting-spring 9, which lies around the stem 7, as shown in thedrawings, and reacts against the face 10 of 9o theinner end of thereduced partof said bore. At the rear end of the bar 7 a slot or mortise14 is formed, in which is pivoted the end of the hand-lever 16, that isconnected at 18 to the end of the stem 7 of the jaw C. The for- 95 wardedge 30 of the arm 24 of the lever is rounded on aline, substantially asdescribed, concentric to the pivot 18, so the pressure is directlyagainst the face 3l of the slot 14, so as to relieve the pin, and alsoto secure inico creased bearingsurface. The movement of the lever islimited by the stop-face 20 and the edge 22 of the Working end or arm 24of said level', as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In using the wrench the operator grasps the instrument by the handle 4and loosening the lock-pin 5 sets the movable frame D at the pointrequired to bring the distance between the jaw-faces slightly greaterthan the thickness of the nut or screw-head to be turned, and then setsthe lock-pin as hereinloefore described. Then placing the wrench overthe nut or screw-head, the operator grasps the handle 16, and closing itforcibly toward the handle 4, throws forward the jaw C, as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 1, until the said head or nut to be turned isfirmly gripped between the said jaw-faces., I-Iaving done this, the nutor screw is then readily turned in the ordinary mannerwithout jammingthe corners thereof and without danger of the wrench slipping oif, andthus injuring the operator. Having turned the piece sufficiently, thehandle 16 is released, when the spring 9, acting against the arm 24 ofsaid lever, (said arm being connected to the sliding` jaw,) retracts thesliding jaw C to its former position. It will be observed that the jaw Cnot only slides, as herein stated, but slides over the bar B, which isinclosed thereby, so that when pressure comes between t-he' j aw-faces,and thereby tends to throw the jaw C out of alignment in the mannercommon to all Wrenches of the so-called monkey-wrench class, the saidjaw is rmly resisted by the bar B ex tending through the same. Thisfeature relieves the stem 7 of lateral strain, whereby it may be made ofa comparatively small size, as shown in the drawings, while retainingample strength and rigidity for performing the Work required. Thisresults in making feasible for the uses hereinbefore set forth a type ofwrench not hitherto found practicable for such uses. The result is theconstruction of a neat and effective instrument of this class, free ofexternal springs and objectionable features, and which may be made bythe interchangeable method of good workmanship and at a low cost.

It will be observed that the movable frame I) is perforated its entirelength for the barB, and also has another perforation its entire lengthfor receiving the stem of the movable jaw C, there being a Wall 2between said perforations throughout the length of said frame, againstwhich Wall said bar is forced by the action of the lock-pin, and also,as hereinbefore'set forth, by the combined action -of the lock-pin andthe pressure lon the lock-frame due to using the Wrench for the turningof a nut or screw.

One object of the stop-faces 2O and 22 is to hold the handle 1G at aconvenient distance from the handle 4: when the handle 16 is fullyclosed, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and also to hold the jawC in a substantially .fixed position on the wrench-bar when the wrenchis to be used for turning irregularly-formed pieces-such, for instance,as the curved heads of thumb-screws and the like, which are used largelyon bicycles, and which cannot, by reason of their shape` be graspedfirmly after the manner of grasping ordinary nuts and screws.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a wrench, thecombination, with the wrench-bar having the fixed jaw, and having themovable frame fitted to slide on said bar, of the movable jaw actuatedindependently of the frame by devices, substantially as described,carried on said frame, and the conically-pointed lock-pin screwedthrough the outer wall of said frame and engaging withcorrespondingly-conical recesses in the back edge of the wrench-bar,whereby on using the wrench said frame is closed onto the forward edgeof the bar and the lock-pin is checked against movement.

2. The combination, with the wrench-bar having the fixed jaw, of themovable frame fitting oversaid jaw and provided with means,substantially as described, for setting the frame at predeterminedpoints along on the wrench-bar, said frame beingbored parallel with thewrench bar, substantially as described, for receiving the stem of amovable jaw and being constructed for carrying the jaw-actuating lever,the movable jaw fitted to inclose the wrench-bar and carried thereon andhaving a stem extending into said movable frame, and the jaw-actuatingleyer pivoted in the frame and connecting withv said stem in said bore,whereby retraction of the jaw is resisted by its stem and deliectionthereof by the Wrench-bar.

3. In a wrench, the combination, substantially as described, with thewrench-'bar and with the movable frame fitting over said bar and bored,substantially as set forth, to receive the stem of the movable jaw andto carry the jaw-actuating lever, of the movable jaw fitted to slide onsaid bar and having the stem '7 sliding in said bore, the lever pivotedto the frame and connected to the end of said stem, and the springcarried in an enlargement of the bore around said stem and actingagainst said lever for retracting the Jaw.

4. In a wrench, the combination, substantially as described, with thewrench-bar, the frame, and the spring-retracted movable jaw, of thehand-leverlG, connected with the jaw, substantially as shown, andlimited in its movement in one direction by the jaw and in the otherdirection by the stop-surfaces 20 and 22. Y

STEPHEN D. SIIAMBARGER.

IVitnesses:

FRANcIs H. RIcHARDs, HENRY L. REGKARD.

IIO

